People's Daily:

Currently, daily new imported COVID-19 cases have surpassed new domestic confirmed cases. What measures will the NHC take to prevent imported cases? Thank you.

Ma Xiaowei:

The prevention of imported cases is a very important task facing the country right now. I would like to invite Mr. Yu Xuejun to answer your question.

Yu Xuejun:

Thank you for your question; it is indeed a question we are all concerned about. We all know that the current situation regarding the epidemic prevention and control work in China is moving in a positive direction. Although there are still some sporadic cases, the spread of the epidemic in the country has been generally contained. However, at the same time, the rapid spread of the epidemic outside China has brought great pressure to our epidemic prevention and control work. In accordance with the overall deployment of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the NHC will coordinate with relevant departments of the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council, and carry out the overall prevention and control strategy on preventing imported cases and a rebound of the epidemic at home. We will prevent and control the whole chain of the spread of the epidemic from foreign countries to the border, and from the border to the door of every household. We will strengthen seamless connection and closed-loop management to prevent imported COVID-19 cases from overseas. We will take the following measures:

First, we will control the source of the infection. We will timely classify and transfer overseas arrivals, promote precise management of key population groups, and transfer confirmed cases, suspected cases and overseas arrivals with fevers discovered in ports to designated hospitals for further diagnosis and treatment.

Second, we need to block the transmission route of the virus. We should enhance the tracking of people entering the country, build interregional collaboration mechanisms and set up a "point-to-point" system to transfer them. We need to ensure the seamless transfer of passengers to their destination and lower the risk of virus infection and spread during transportation. Supported by information technology, we have carried out dynamic management for inbound personnel and enhanced their 14-day quarantine medical observation. If they display symptoms, they will be immediately transferred to designated hospitals to receive further diagnosis and treatment.

Third, we should prevent the virus spreading at the community level. Local communities must register inbound personnel who have just returned and conduct follow-up work and grid management for them. By strictly adhering to the requirements, local communities have also closely monitored the health condition of those inbound arrivals during the 14-day quarantine. If any symptoms are shown, they will be transferred to designated hospitals to receive further diagnosis and treatment.

At the same time, we should strengthen the management of close contacts. This refers to the management of people who have had close contact with confirmed cases. For inbound confirmed cases and those who are asymptomatic but tested positive, public health departments should work together with relevant departments to conduct epidemiological tests on them according to the regulations. Quarantine and medical observation should be carried out on close contacts in order to reduce the possibility of spreading the virus. Thank you.